Jeannie - Newbie - Needs Dic Help

[jeannie]

Good evening group,

My name is Jeannie and I am a widow of a retired disable vet. I can across you website through another website for vets. You story about DIC. I have been fight with the VA and DFAS regarding my husbands death benefits. It's been two yrs. and I have not received anything? Is this process like the VA ? With no disrespect but they are a joke to deal with.

Thank you again for allowing me to join

[carlie]

Good evening group,

My name is Jeannie and I am a widow of a retired disable vet. I can across you website through another website for vets. You story about DIC. I have been fight with the VA and DFAS regarding my husbands death benefits. It's been two yrs. and I have not received anything? Is this process like the VA ? With no disrespect but they are a joke to deal with.

Thank you again for allowing me to join

Welcome.

I split your post off from the OP's and started you a topic.

[Pete53]

Welcome to Hadit. My condolences for your loss.

What was your husbands rating and for how long. Can your husbands death be linked to his service connection.

If husband was rated 100% for 10 years it is pretty automatic but you have to request and by that I mean apply for DIC. If you can link death to service connection you can get it with no time requirement.

Good Luck

[Berta]

Jeanne , welcome here.

I am a widow too and I know how devastating not only the loss can be, but how difficult it can be to deal with the VA.

DFAS.......

Here is their survivor annuity plan info:

http://www.dfas.mil/retiredmilitary/provide/sbp.html

This link provides info on the SBC/DIC offset:

http://www.va.gov/SURVIVORS/FAQs.asp

I am a member of Gold Star Wives and this org fights every year to have the SBC/DIC offset terminated.http://www.goldstarwives.org/news-benefits.htm

The offset means that any survivor who is eligible for both DIC and SBC can receive the greater benefit but not both. It doesnt make sense because the annuity for SBC is paid for my the retiree and the DIC stems from a service connected death.

Here is a link to the recent article I wrote on DIC.

It contains the basic way to establish this benefit.

You asked:

“It's been two yrs. and I have not received anything? Is this process like the VA ? “

Have you applied for DIC on the 21-534 form?

Do you have proof from DFAS that the annuity had been paid in the veteran's lifetime?

DFAS is different from the process in many respects.

Do you have a vet rep helping you?

Have you received by now ,acknowledgment from the VA ,of the DIC claim and a VCAA letter or anything from VA ,directing you as to what they still might need from you?